Bring a touch of autumn-and a new "friend"- to your child's world!

Teach This Lesson

1. Hunt for pinecones with your child. These can also be purchased at a nursery. Also collect leaves, twigs, bark, and other "natural" materials.

2. Invite your child to glue a pom pom to the top of the pine cone to make the head. Use the other materials for other body parts - make wings out of leaves or arms out of twigs; eyes out of acorn caps or construction paper; a nose out of a leaf or piece of bark, and so on.

3. Glue acorn caps to the bottom of the creature to make feet. This will also help keep the creature more stable.

4. Suggest that your child decorate the inside of a shoebox with paint or construction paper, leaves, twigs, and other natural items to create a "home" for the creature.

5. Ask your child to name his or her new pine cone creatures! Together, you can make up stories and adventures for this new friend!